What To Do If You’re Scared to Share Your Work Online

One of the most common fears I hear from new creatives is the fear of putting yourself out there. And I get it, it’s vulnerable, it’s awkward. When I first started writing online, I’d constantly have thoughts like What will that acquaintance from high school think? What will my parents think? How about my past coworkers?

The logical advice is to not care what people think. Most people won’t actually judge you and they’ll admire you for having the courage. And if someone does judge you, they don’t matter.

But fear is an emotional problem not a logical one.

The good news is, you don’t need to make a big announcement to the world. You can start small. You can even start anonymously. That’s what I did with my menswear newsletter Riveting. I quietly launched it on Substack and wrote a few posts before telling anyone.

Another option is you can create a burner account. One of my goals this quarter is to experiment with Instagram Reels for my menswear content. I’ve never made one before, and honestly, I’m nervous. So I’m setting up a burner account where I can practice, get feedback from trusted friends, and work on the craft without the pressure of an audience.

The more reps you put in, the less scary it becomes. Bit by bit, you start tackling bigger fears. And over time, your courage begins to grow.